1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to paint masking devices and particularly to a kit of paint masks for door hinges for use when painting a door and frame.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When painting a door and the adjacent frame it is desirable to avoid placing paint on the door hinge butt plates and the pin cylinder of the hinge. Protecting the butt plates and pin cylinder from paint is difficult due to the position of the hinges and their method of attachment to the door and door frame. In the past, protection against painting the hinge plates has been accomplished through the use of paint shields that are attached to the butt plate with a adhesive material.
One such shield is disclosed by Dresser, U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,602, in which a T-shaped shield consists of a flexible body member having adhesive on the back face for attachment to the butt plate. The T-shaped body member comprises a leg portion for attachment to the butt plate and an arm portion for attachment to the pin cylinders. While this shield adequately protects the butt plate and pin cylinders, it requires that the door be removed from the frame before applying the shield, and reattached to the frame after the paint has been applied, thereby making it time consuming and unacceptably expensive. Also, it utilizes adhesive as a means of attachment, thus limiting the reusability of the shield.
A reusable set of paint covers is disclosed by Herrington, U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,590, which utilizes separate covers for the door frame butt plate and door butt plate. The covers are constructed from a slightly flexible material and can only be installed on the corresponding butt plates by separating the door from the frame. The cover consists of a generally U-shaped element which covers the pin cylinder, a flat panel which is used to cover the butt plate, and a horizontal cap to protect against paint entering the pin cylinder. Thus, while this set of covers is reusable, it requires the removal of the door from the frame during painting, and is expensive due to labor costs.
The use of a mask to protect the butt plates and a separate mask to protect the pin cylinders is disclosed by Ziegler, U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,330. The hinge butt plate cover consists of a flexible panel having adhesive on the back side for engagement with the two butt plates and the pin cylinder part, which is exposed when the door is open, thereby providing protection while the door is in place. The patent also discloses a similar panel having adhesive on the back side which is required to be carefully placed on the pin cylinder in order to fully mask it. Moreover, the reusability of the masks is limited since the mask is stripped away after use so the adhesive is not permanent. Such adhesive is not suitable for multiple reuses, because it loses adhereability after only a few uses. This requires the painter to carry a large supply of these adhesive-attached masks. The movement of the door while painting is limited due to the adhesive contacting the pin cylinders and providing resistance to movement. Further, with an adhesive-attached mask, proper registration with the butt plates is difficult, requiring precise alignment of the mask by the painter. If proper registration is not achieved during the first application, the mask must be removed and reapplied repeatedly until the butt plates are properly covered for painting. This results in delays in time, inconvenience, and added expense.
The use of a single mask to protect the pin cylinders is disclosed by Torgerson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,409. The mask comprises a body of elastic sheet material and fastening means such as a pair of hooks or a loop. In use, one end of the elastic material is placed over the top of the hinge pin, wrapped around the length of the pin cylinder and attached to the other end of the elastic by a hook or loop. While this cover is reusable, it is difficult to apply and remove because it requires the painter to thread the hook through the space between the door and jamb in order to secure the mask on the pin cylinders. Also, there is no mask for protecting the door hinge butt plates from paint.
A decorative pin cylinder cover is disclosed by Smith et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,291. The cover is constructed of an elastomeric material to move with the hinge, once installed, and takes on a generally U-shaped construction. A pair of caps is also provided for covering the ends of the hinge pin. While this cover provides a means of protecting the pin cylinders and hinge pin, there is no mask for protecting the door hinge butt plates from paint.
The use of a mask to protect hinge pin cylinders during painting is disclosed by Schwartz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,028. The mask consists of a flexible panel having adhesive on part of the back side for attachment to the butt plates. Once installed, the pin cylinders and hinge pin are protected from paint. The mask is not suited for multiple reuses, however because the adhesively-attached mask looses its adhereability after only a few uses. Further, if proper registration with the pin cylinders is not achieved the first time, the entire mask must be repeatedly removed and reapplied until the cylinders are covered. Also, the mask protects only the part of the butt plates where the adhesive is applied.